The ATF4 (Activating Transcription Factor 4) antibody is a crucial tool for studying the role of ATF4. a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor involved in cellular stress responses. ATF4 regulates gene expression under conditions such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, amino acid deprivation, hypoxia, and oxidative stress. It is a key mediator of the integrated stress response (ISR), coordinating adaptive pathways to restore homeostasis or trigger apoptosis if stress persists. ATF4 activates genes involved in metabolism, redox balance, and autophagy, and its dysregulation is linked to cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic diseases.
ATF4 antibodies are designed to detect endogenous ATF4 protein in various applications, including Western blotting (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). These antibodies are typically raised in hosts like rabbits or mice using immunogens derived from specific ATF4 epitopes. Validation includes testing for specificity via knockout cell lines or siRNA knockdown. Researchers rely on ATF4 antibodies to explore its interaction with partners like C/EBP proteins, its role in stress signaling pathways (e.g., PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 axis), and its therapeutic relevance in disease models. Proper antibody selection requires attention to cross-reactivity, species compatibility, and experimental conditions, as ATF4 expression is often low under basal states but rapidly induced during stress.